Set My Heart On Fire
by Eternal Soldier
Summary: They had no idea what was really happening- all they knew was their friendship was growing, becoming something more. And they had no idea where it would take them.  Brief moments in Reid and Morgan's growing relationship.
1. What Your Smile Does to Me

**A/N: Okay, so this is just brief moments in the budding relationship between Morgan and Reid, so yes, it will eventually be Reid/Morgan slash. It's set about mid season 4, and while the moments may not _seem_ linked, they are part of the same series and follow a timeline, so they actually are. But anyways, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>It takes a lot of work from the face to let out a smile, but just think what good smiling can bring to the most important muscle of the body... the heart. ~Author Unknown<em>

The first time it happened, Morgan thought he'd hit his head on something. That was the only thing that explained why Reid's smile suddenly filled him with such _warmth_, such happiness. He'd seen Reid smile like that for years- why would it affect him now?

The second time it happened, Morgan thought that he must have taken something by accident. Maybe his cold medication had something else in it that reacted with his body, or maybe somebody had slipped something into his drink. Either that, or he was delirious. It had been two weeks since the first time Reid's smile had affected him like this, and he had smiled many times since then. So why on earth was this happening?

The third time it happened, Morgan almost told Garcia. He was halfway to her office, before he thought better of it and headed back to his desk. He knew she would make a big deal out of this, and read more into it than there was actually there. Because Reid's smile making Morgan so happy wasn't a big deal. Right?

It wasn't until the sixth time it happened that Morgan realised something: the reason Reid's smile didn't affect him all the time was because Reid wasn't smiling at _him_. Whenever Reid smiled at him, it warmed his heart like nothing else could. It was like… he couldn't explain it. Like he felt almost blessed or special, to be able to make Reid smile that way. Thinking about it like that felt stupid to Morgan, but he couldn't think of the right words to describe it. He didn't think he would _ever_ find the words to describe how Reid's smile made him feel.

It was then, watching Reid sitting at his desk, that Morgan vowed to make Reid smile like that as much as he could. Those smiles from his best friend and the feelings they elicited in him were something Morgan cherished, and he wanted to see as many of them as possible.

"Is something wrong, Morgan?" Reid asked, looking up from his paperwork and seeing Morgan staring at him.

"Nothing, kid," Morgan said, giving Reid a smile of his own. "Nothing at all."

_Always remember to be happy because you never know who's falling in love with your smile. ~Author Unknown_

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><p><strong>AN: You know, this is the shortest single chapter I have ever written, but I liked it. So what did you guys think? Let me know! And like I said before, this are brief moments in Reid and Morgan's budding relationship, so there is more to come!**


	2. Chinese Food and Chopsticks

**A/N: So here's the next part of the story, this one from Reid's POV. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>"A friend's hand is always there...you just have to reach out for it." ~ Author Unknown<em>

Chinese had never been Reid's favourite form of take out. He didn't know why; he rather liked the taste. It was just that, given the choice, he'd pick another type of food every time. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the food was usually eaten with chopsticks.

Using chopsticks was the one thing Reid had consistently not been able to do, no matter how hard he tried to learn. He could barely pick up the food, and whatever he did pick up never made it to his mouth. The team constantly teased him about it.

Which was why, late one night while working on a case in Phoenix, Reid had been surprised and more than a little suspicious when Morgan had shown up at his hotel room with Chinese food for the two of them to share. Surprised because Morgan had thought to bring him food at all, and because he'd brought him Chinese- and chopsticks.

"You do realise I can't use chopsticks, right?" Reid reminded Morgan when he asked if he could come in. "And it's clear you didn't bring a fork."

"Well, all the more for me then," Morgan laughed. When Reid just scowled at him he added, "I actually thought I could teach you to use them. If that's okay. I'm not going to make fun of you, or tell any of the others. I promise."

"Well…" Reid hesitated for a moment. Morgan was bound to laugh at him. But on the other hand, he _had_ promised not to make fun of him, or tell any of the others. And Reid was rather hungry. "Okay then," he decided, stepping aside. "Come in."

Morgan flashed Reid an easy grin as he stepped inside the room. He looked around and saw Reid's case files strewn across the little table against the wall. "Geez, Reid, it's late at night. Why're you still working?" Morgan asked.

"I had nothing else to do," Reid shrugged. He sat down cross-legged on his bed, and patted the spot next to him with one hand. "Come sit."

Morgan did what Reid asked, sitting down next to the genius and handing him one of the boxes of food and a pair of chopsticks. "Here. Here's what you've got to do." He showed Reid what to with his own set, and had to chuckle a little bit when Reid's food immediately fell back into the box. Reid scowled at him; he'd known Morgan would laugh.

"Sorry, man. I didn't mean it like that. Here, let me help you." He reached out to take Reid's chopsticks, but both men drew back almost instantly when they felt something almost like a spark fly between their skin. They looked at each other for the briefest of moments, and then Reid looked away, trying once again to pick up his food.

"This is useless," he muttered. "I'm not coordinated enough for this."

"I know you can do it, kid," Morgan assured him. He reached out again, placing his hand on Reid's and manipulating the chopsticks for him. "Like this, see?" He helped Reid bring the food up to his mouth, and the genius finally managed to begin eating his dinner.

"Told you that you could," said Morgan, grinning.

"Only because I had your help," Reid retorted, but he too had a smile on his face. Using the technique Morgan had taught him, Reid's shaky and slow-moving hands managed to pick up another piece of his food and put it into his mouth. He grinned at Morgan. "Maybe I can do it." Morgan didn't reply; he just continued to watch Reid. "You're staring at me," Reid said. "Like you were the other day, in the office. Why do you do that?"

Morgan flashed him another smile, and shook his head slightly. "I don't know, kid. I just like to see you smile. Now finish your meal."

Slightly confused, but also filled with warmth at the fact that Morgan liked to make him smile, Reid returned to his food. He could still feel the ghost of Morgan's hand on the back of his own. It was almost… strange. But in a good way. Maybe Chinese food wasn't so bad after all.

_"A friend is someone who reaches for your hand, but touches your heart." ~ Kathleen Grove_

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><p><strong>AN: Hmm, and the story continues... What did you guys think? I would really love to hear it, I don't know how good I am with these really short chapters/stories!**


	3. Childhood Demons

**A/N: So this next chapter is a lot more angsty and a little longer than the first two, but hopefully you still enjoy it! I really needed this one in here, because it kinda sets the backbone for Reid and Morgan's relationship.**

**Warning: Spoilers for 3x16 Elephant's Memory.**

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><p><em>What we remember from childhood we remember forever - permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen. ~Cynthia Ozick<em>

Reid wasn't handling this one very well. He never did, when the UnSub was a young boy like this one, severely bullied and seeking revenge on those who wronged him. He related strongly with the boy, and they all knew it. But none of them knew it more than Derek Morgan.

Morgan still remembered the Owen Savage case; the young boy who, like their current UnSub, had been severely bullied in high school and had ended up taking out his anger and frustration on his adversaries. He remembered how _angry_ Reid had been during that case, blowing up at anyone who blamed Owen for his situation.

Morgan also remembered when Hotch had sent Reid back to the Savage house to help him search Owen's room. _That_ was the part of the case he remembered most clearly; when Reid had finally broken down, and told Morgan of the horrible experience he'd had during his high school years.

"_I was in the library, and uh, Harper Hillman comes up to me, and she tells me that uh, Alexa Lisbon wants to meet me behind the field house. Alexa Lisbon was, like, _easily _the prettiest girl in school."_

"_So what happened? Alexa wasn't there?"_

"_She was there. So was the entire football team. They… uh, stripped me naked and tied me to a goal post. So many kids were there, you know, just watching."_

"_Nobody tried to stop them?"_

"_I begged… I begged them to, but they just… they just watched. And finally they got bored, and they left. It was like, midnight before I got home. And my mum didn't… Mum was having one of her episodes so she didn't even realise I was late."_

"_You never told her what happened?"_

"_I never told anybody. I thought…it was one of those things that I thought if I didn't talk about it I'd just forget, but I remember it like it was yesterday."_

"_Ah, Reid, you don't need an eidetic memory for that. You know, we forget half of what they teach us in school but… when it comes to the torment and the people who inflicted it, we all have an elephant's memory."_

Morgan still felt heartsick whenever he thought of that happening to Reid, of everything he went through. No one, _no one_, should have go through something like that. Especially Reid, who was one of the kindest and sweetest people Morgan knew. And with the case they were working on now, Morgan knew that those memories were at the very front of Reid's mind. He knew they were all that the genius could think about.

He watched Reid all day, looking for signs of that same anger and hostility he'd had before. While he didn't see it, he did see something else in Reid's eyes. Something almost like… sadness. And that, in Morgan's opinion, was much, much worse that the extreme anger.

Reid had been unusually quiet throughout the day, and he wasn't animated like he usually was during the profile briefing. Morgan knew that the others had noticed Reid's change in behaviour too, but none of them had said anything. Morgan didn't know whether it was because they were too focused on the case, or whether they didn't think talking to Reid would help, or both. But he did know that he wasn't going to stand idly by and watch Reid dwell on things that should never have happened to him.

Morgan continued to watch Reid, but didn't get his chance to speak to him until very late in the afternoon when he followed the rather distracted and upset looking younger man into the bathroom.

Morgan entered the room, which was empty except for Reid splashing his face with water. "Reid?" he said, alerting the other agent to his presence.

"I know what you're thinking," Reid said without turning around.

"Then you know I'm worried about you, kid," Morgan replied. "I know what cases like this one do to you."

"I'm fine," Reid replied shortly.

"_Reid_," Morgan said warningly. "Come on, man. Remember who you're talking to here." He moved closer to Reid, who still hadn't turned to face him. "Just talk to me."

Reid finally turned to face Morgan, and he could see the tears glistening in the younger man's eyes. "No one should have to go through what he went through. _No one_."

"Including you?" said Morgan softly. Reid fell silent again. "Reid, I know what these cases do to you. I told you last time, I know how hard it is when the one you relate to is the bad guy. But that doesn't make you any less of a person."

"I know," Reid sighed, scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. "It's just…"

"That's not all you're thinking about, is it?" Morgan finished. "Oh, Reid…"

"Every time, every time I tell myself I'm past this," said Reid. "Every time I believe myself. And _every time_, I'm wrong."

"Reid, that's not something you can get over so easily," said Morgan. "No one can ever forget that kind of torment. It's what we do with it that torment that makes us who we are."

"How do you do it?" Reid asked.

"What do you mean?" said Morgan, confused.

"How do you manage to put it behind you? I mean, you told me you used to get bullied in your freshman year. How did you move on from that?" said Reid.

"Sometimes, Reid, I still think that I haven't put it behind me," Morgan told him. "But whenever I can't help but dwell on those memories, I think about everything I've got going for me now. I think about how I managed to pull myself out of that, all the way to the FBI. And I think about all the amazing people I have around me now, who mean the world to me. Like you."

Reid looked up at Morgan, startled. "What? What are you talking about?"

Morgan was silent for a moment. He _didn't_ really know what he was talking about. Those last two words had slipped out, without him even thinking. But Reid did mean a lot to him. "I guess what I'm talking about is that you mean a lot to me, kid. Didn't you ever wonder why I'm so fiercely protective of you?" Morgan laughed, and Reid blushed slightly. "But seriously, Reid, you have a lot going for you now. Hell, who else in your graduating class would now have three PhD's, two additional BA's, and be working for one of the most elite FBI teams there are? And remember, back then you may have had no one but your mother. Now you have the team. Now you have me."

Morgan reached out and squeezed Reid's shoulder comfortingly, a friendly gesture. Well, that's what it was meant to be. But both men felt something- more. Like when their hands had touched while eating Chinese. Nevertheless, a small smile crossed Reid's face. "Thanks, Morgan."

"Anytime, pretty boy," Morgan smiled, using his rather affectionate nickname for Reid. "Now let's get back to work, before the others start to wonder where we are and come looking for us."

Morgan turned to leave the bathroom, and already had his hand on the doorknob when Reid spoke. "Morgan?" Morgan turned around to look at Reid. "Thank you. You're a great friend."

"Right back at you," said Morgan. "Now come on." And both men left the bathroom, nothing on their mind but how lucky they really were.

_The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time. ~Friedrich Nietzsche_

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><p><strong>AN: Awwwww, now if only those two would get a clue and realise what all these feelings actually were! Hehehe, guess you'll just have to wait and see... :P  
>So, reviews? They'll be the perfect stress relief before my English essay tomorrow! Wow, I really, really hate those things, I'd much rather be writing fanfiction like this...<strong>


	4. Staring

**A/N: So it's back to a much shorter chapter length this time- I think this is only half the length of chapter 3. And yes, it is just a little bit cute, and is also the first chapter that features a character other than Morgan and Reid. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare? ~W. H. Davies<em>

"You're staring," Prentiss whispered to Reid.

"Hmm?" Reid looked over at Prentiss, not having heard what she'd said. Clearly, his mind was elsewhere.

"You're staring," Prentiss repeated. "It's pretty obvious."

Reid hung his head, embarrassed, and pulled one of his files towards him. "I wasn't staring," he muttered, more to convince himself than Prentiss. He hadn't realized it until Prentiss had called him out on it, but Reid _had_ been staring. He just didn't know why.

"Relax, Reid, I wasn't going to yell at you or make fun of you or anything," Prentiss assured him. "I was just pointing it out. It looked like you didn't even _notice_ you were staring; like your mind was somewhere else."

Reid sighed, resting his head in his hands. "I was just… thinking," he said. "Trying to figure something out."

"What could there possibly be that genius Doctor Spencer Reid hasn't yet figured out?" Prentiss joked. Immediately, she realised that she had said the wrong thing, or at least had said it the wrong way. "Reid, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Reid said sincerely. "Even I don't understand things sometimes." _Like why I was staring_, he added in his mind.

"No one expects you to, Reid," said Prentiss. "I mean, despite the fact that we do act like that sometimes."

Reid smiled at Prentiss and turned back to his desk, trying his hardest to keep his eyes on his paperwork and not look up. _No, Spencer_, he told himself. _You don't need to stare. You didn't even _know_ you were staring until Prentiss pointed it out._

_So why was I staring?_

This thought slowly drew Reid's gaze back up, until he was once again staring. "Reid?" Prentiss whispered softly. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me why you're staring at Morgan?"

_Damn_. Prentiss had seen him staring; it had been too much to hope that she hadn't seen what he had been staring at. "Oh, I was just wondering what Hotch was talking to Morgan about, that's all," Reid lied.

"Reid, come on, I know that's not why-"

"Can we just drop it, okay, Prentiss?" Reid snapped suddenly. "I just can't focus today, alright? I have a lot on my mind."

Prentiss looked seriously chastised; she knew she shouldn't have pushed Reid. If there was another reason why Reid had been staring, he wasn't the type of person to just reveal what that reason was. "I'm sorry, Reid. Really."

Reid sighed, feeling slightly guilty. "I know you are. I know you are." He also knew that he wasn't just staring at Morgan because he was wondering what Hotch was talking about.

The real reason Reid was staring at Morgan was because he was baffled as to why Morgan treated him the way he did. He had no idea why Morgan teased him so affectionately. He had no idea why he and Morgan were so close- they were polar opposites, and yet they worked so _well_ together. It was something that Reid would never be able to explain to himself. The geek and the jock, best friends.

But what mystified Reid the most was Morgan's fierce protectiveness of him. The way Morgan couldn't stand to see him in danger. The way he always tried to free Reid of his pain, like it pained Morgan himself to see him like that. Or even how Morgan was happy whenever Reid was happy- and vice versa.

_Why on earth do you mean so much to me, Derek Morgan?_ Reid asked himself silently, as Morgan left Hotch's office and headed back down into the bullpen. _And why do _I _mean so much to you?_

_"Love is friendship, friendship is love. If love fails, friendship should remain. For friendship is the foundation of love" ~_Unknown __

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you guys think? Did you like it? I've got to admit, I went back and changed a couple of Prentiss's lines A LOT. I just couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted her to say- but I'm rather happy with the outcome.**

**Oh, and things are going to really start moving along between Reid and Morgan quite soon- keep an eye out for the next chapter!**


	5. A Night's Realisations

**A/N: So a rather long chapter this time (well, for this story anyway), but I'm pretty sure by the end you'll figure out why it had to be this long! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow<em>

"We're all going out tonight!" Garcia announced as she entered the bullpen, which was empty except for Morgan, Prentiss and Reid. "Come on, we all need it! JJ's already in!"

"Well I'm definitely in," Prentiss decided, rising from her seat. "I'll go convince Hotch and Rossi."

Prentiss's departure left Garcia alone with Morgan and Reid. "Come on, my boys! It just wouldn't be the same without you two gorgeous hunks."

"You don't have to ask me twice, baby girl," Morgan laughed. "I've been looking for an excuse to go dancing for a _very_ long time."

"I don't know…" said Reid. "I mean, that's not really my thing."

"Stop with the 'I don't know's', kid," said Morgan. "Garcia's right; it wouldn't be the same without you."

Reid could help the warm yet strange feeling that filled him when Morgan said he wanted his company that night. "You're not going to accept no for an answer, are you?" he realised, a slight smirk on his face.

"Nope," said Morgan, glad Reid had finally caught on. "And don't use the whole 'I still have work to do' excuse, because we all know that you don't. So come on, pretty boy."

_I've always wondered why he calls me that,_ Reid thought to himself. He sighed loudly, rising from his seat. "I guess I'm in then."

Garcia clapped her hands excitedly. "Great! So now all we need is-" She stopped mid-sentence as Prentiss emerged from Hotch's office with a triumphant smile on her face, both their Unit Chief and Rossi trailing behind her.

"You better have convinced Reid, PG," Prentiss said. "Hotch and Rossi said they'd only come if he did."

"Never fear," said Garcia. "He's in. So that means you're all coming. So let's leave now, before any of you try to back out."

Rossi and Hotch looked at each other before following Garcia out of the bullpen. JJ, Prentiss and Morgan looked excited, while Reid just looked and felt apprehensive. Clubs and bars weren't really his thing; he preferred to either go to the movies or just stay home, curled up in front of the heater with a good book or his latest paper. But, Garcia had insisted. And he didn't have to stay very long.

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><p>"You don't look very happy there," Garcia commented when she sat back down next to Reid in a booth, carrying a very colourful cocktail in one hand and a glass of red wine for Reid in the other.<p>

"No, it's not that," said Reid quickly. "It's just-"

"Clubs aren't really your thing?" Garcia finished for him. Reid nodded, ducking his head. "It's okay, boy genius. We all know that. We don't mind."

Reid looked around the club. Hotch and Rossi were sitting at the bar, both with a beer in hand, talking. JJ and Prentiss were dancing with each other, while Morgan was dancing with three unknown women- two in front of him, and one behind him. Reid felt a pang of something in his heart while watching Morgan, but he couldn't place it. It was almost… jealousy. Loneliness. But that didn't make sense. Why would Reid be jealous of the women, and why would watching them dance with Morgan make him feel lonely?

"Reid? Are you in there?" said Garcia loudly, waving her hand in front of Reid's face.

"Sorry," said Reid. "I- the wine just got to me, I guess."

"Reid, you've had one glass, and it took you at least an hour to drink it!" Garcia exclaimed. "You're not even a little bit drunk!"

"I'm sorry, Garcia," Reid said again. "I guess I'm just not in the mood tonight."

Garcia's bright, smiling face immediately shifted into an expression of concern. "Reid? Are you okay?" she whispered gently.

"I don't know," Reid admitted sadly. "I don't know."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Garcia suggested.

"I would if I knew what was wrong," said Reid. "I didn't even know anything was wrong. In fact, everything just felt so _good_ before now. I just… I don't know what it is."

"Oh, Reid…" Garcia reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Whatever this is, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Reid just gave Garcia a small but unconvincing smile, and looked down at his drink. But, as he stared at the red liquid and tried to figure out what was wrong with him, his gaze once again drifted up to Morgan and the three women writhing around him.

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><p>Morgan loved dancing. There was just something about it; the way he could lose himself, forget about all the horrible things he'd seen. For some reason though, it wasn't working tonight. There was something nagging at him, in the corner of his mind, that just wouldn't leave him alone. The women Morgan was dancing with were beautiful, but they just weren't doing it for him. The dancing wasn't making him happy. Something wasn't right.<p>

Unconsciously, Morgan's gaze was drawn across the room to where Reid was sitting in the booth with Garcia. The younger man's gaze was lowered, and he was almost shrinking in his seat- like he wanted to be anywhere but there. And suddenly, so did Morgan.

Morgan watched as Reid suddenly looked across the room at him, and he got a proper glimpse at the genius's face. He just looked so _sad_, and that made Morgan feel sick to his stomach. Suddenly, the hot air and the bodies pressing against him were stifling. He had to get out of there.

Murmuring a brief apology to the three girls he was dancing with, leaving them all confused, Morgan immediately crossed the dance floor to where Reid and Garcia were.

"I think I'm gonna call it a night," he announced.

Garcia looked up at him, stunned. "You, calling it a night this early?" she said. "But you were the one who was so excited about coming here tonight."

"I know," said Morgan. "But I'm not feeling so crash hot. I think I've gotta get out of here." He looked over at Reid. "You wanna come, kid? I can drop you off at your place."

Reid looked at Morgan, startled. "You sure? I mean, I don't want to be a burden or anything…" he trailed off, unsure.

"You could _never_ be a burden to me," said Morgan. "So are you coming, or not?"

Reid nodded, rising from his seat. "See you at work, Garcia," he said.

"Say goodbye to the others for us," Morgan added, before the two men walked out of the club.

The drive back to Reid's apartment was spent in silence. Both men wanted to say something to the other, but neither had any idea what to say. The minute they had walked out of the club together, they had felt some sort of relief; they had felt happiness. It was strange.

Morgan actually felt disappointed when they pulled up outside of Reid's apartment building. He wished he'd said something during the drive, but he didn't even know what he wanted to talk to Reid about.

"Do- do you want to come inside for a bit?" Reid suggested timidly. "I mean, if you want to, you don't have to, I just thought-"

"Reid! Reid!" Morgan exclaimed, holding up a hand to silence the genius's rambling. "I'd love to." A genuine smile crossed Morgan's face, the only one since they'd arrived at the club.

Reid had to smile back at him. "Follow me, then."

"It's not much," Reid admitted when he opened his front door. "And I'm sorry about the mess; I haven't had much time to clean lately."

"It doesn't matter," Morgan assured him. "I like it." He smiled at Reid, and once again Reid couldn't help but smile back. "It's exactly like I imagined your place would be."

"You were imagining what my place would look like?" said Reid, confused.

"I don't know, Reid," Morgan replied lamely. "I really don't know."

"Derek, what's going on?" Reid whispered. He'd used Morgan's first name; the older man couldn't help the thrill that shot through him when he did. "I don't- so many things feel… they feel _different_. Like the way I can't but feel warm when you smile at me, or when you call me pretty boy, which I still don't get, by the way, and the way I feel so _happy_ just by being around you! Derek, it's driving me crazy, and I-"

Something inside of Morgan snapped while Reid was talking, and he closed the gap between himself and the genius. "Pretty boy, just shut up." He pulled Reid closer, one arm around his waist and the other hand on the back of his head. And he kissed him.

It felt like Morgan's whole body was on fire, the movement their lips met. It was like everything he had felt over the past weeks, and even months, was finally bursting out of him. He was kissing Reid again, and again, and again, and soon Reid was kissing him back, his lips moving against Morgan's in perfect harmony.

"Derek," Reid whispered. "Derek, Morgan, stop, _please_." Noticing the pleading tone in Reid's voice, Morgan pulled away instantly. "Derek, what are we doing?"

"What do you mean, 'what are we doing'?" Morgan asked.

"Are you sure about this?" Reid said to him. "Are you sure? Have you thought of the consequences, especially if everything goes wrong?"

"So are you saying you _don't_ want this?" said Morgan.

"No!" Reid exclaimed. "I… I mean, I only just now realised what I was actually feeling for you, and then you were kissing me, and I… I just need time to think." Reid looked away from Morgan, almost ashamed. "Please don't be mad at me."

"Reid. Spencer," said Morgan softly, the younger man looking up upon hearing his first name. "I could never be mad at you for want to think things through. We don't want to rush this." He moved towards the door. "Sleep on it for tonight, at least. Just _promise me_ you'll let me know either way, okay? I'll see you at work."

"Oh, Morgan?" said Reid, just as Morgan was opening the front door. He turned back around to face the younger man. "Thank you. For understanding."

"Anytime, pretty boy," Morgan whispered. "Anytime."

_The longest journey a man must take is the eighteen inches from his head to his heart ~ Author Unknown_

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><p><strong>AN: Aw, Reid. I think he's just extremely confused about what he's feeling right now- I wonder what he's going to decide? :P**

**What did you guys think of this chapter? I felt a bit... weird about it, I don't know. Did you think it was good, or not? Oh, and a big thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far, you guys are great!**


	6. Trying to Decide

**A/N: So, back to another really short chapter here. Sorry it took so long- I hit a bit of writer's block in the middle there. But I quite like the finished product, and I hope you do too!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>The doors we open and close each day decides the lives we live. ~Flora Whittemore<em>

For one of the very few times since starting at the BAU, Reid had been sincerely glad that the weekend had come when it did. After the events of the night before, Reid had really needed the time to think, and he wouldn't have been able to do that with Morgan right there beside him.

He didn't regret his decision to stop things that night before they had gone any further. Sure, he'd been feeling those things about Morgan for quite a while, but until Morgan had kissed him he hadn't realised what those feelings _were_. He needed to figure out where these feelings for Morgan had come from and what they meant for him and Morgan before he powered into anything. He didn't want to do anything he'd later regret, and lose Morgan forever.

So then, where _had _Reid's feelings for Morgan come from? Reid wasn't surprised he had fallen for another man; he'd known he was bisexual for quite a while. But Morgan was his best friend, like his brother- or so he thought. For so long, Reid had thought that his feelings for Morgan were purely platonic, and vice versa.

Looking back though, Reid began to realise that maybe things _had _been changing. The strange, happy feeling he got whenever he was around Morgan, the way Morgan would always watch Reid smile… and the way Morgan treated Reid, like nobody else had done before. No one had ever been to kind to Reid, so protective of him, than Morgan had been. Even the constant teasing was a sign of affection. Morgan definitely cared about Reid.

And Reid had told Morgan things he had never told anyone else. He trusted Morgan more than he'd ever trusted anyone else. And Reid most definitely cared about Morgan- he hated to see the other man hurt or in pain. But he'd nearly always felt that way about Morgan. So why… suddenly, a realisation came over Reid. He'd always felt something more for Morgan, but he was only just now realising what it was. Reid didn't know why he hadn't seen it before now- maybe it was just him telling himself that it was impossible for there to be something between him and Morgan, or maybe his romantic inexperience making it too hard for him to see- but that didn't matter. What _did_ matter was that the way Reid felt for Morgan wasn't something that had cropped up overnight; it was real, it had building for a while, and Reid was pretty sure those feelings were there to stay.

So that answered one of Reid's questions. The other one- what did the feelings Reid and Morgan had for each other mean for them- was a much more difficult one. Reid knew it would take him a while to come up with the answer. There was a very big chance he would never get a complete answer. But that didn't really matter. What mattered, was whether or not it was a good idea to go become something more with Morgan, or go back to the way things were.

The trouble was, Reid didn't think he _could_ go back to the way things were. Now that he knew what he truly felt for Morgan, he couldn't forget it, even if he didn't have an eidetic memory. They were now so much more than brothers- maybe they had always been more. They couldn't be the same Reid and Morgan they were before. It was impossible.

But could they move forward? Was it really a good idea? What if everything fell apart; what if they started a relationship, and it ended? Not only would Reid and Morgan destroy the best friendship either of them had ever had, they'd destroy one of the best units the FBI had ever seen. They'd never be able to work together again, if everything ended.

On the other hand, though, Reid had never felt for anyone what he felt for Morgan. It just felt so good when he was around Morgan… so _right_. And what if this worked out? Their relationship _could_ last. Unlike Hotch with Haley, Reid and Morgan wouldn't have to worry about the job taking them away from each other; they did work together, after all. This could be the greatest thing Reid ever had. But he just didn't know for sure.

Reid rested his head in his hands, completely torn. What on earth would he do? Morgan was just… he was _Morgan_. And Reid wanted this; he really did. But it could ruin everything Reid had ever worked for, and cost him the best friend he'd ever had.

He couldn't decide this right now. It was too hard for Reid to just sit there and think about this, completely alone. He'd thought of both sides- there was only one thing that could help him make his final decision. Derek Morgan.

_No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be... ~Isaac Asimov_

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><p><strong>AN: I'm sorry to any of you that were hoping for Reid and Morgan to finally get together in this one- I honestly thought that they would too, but my stupid muse decided it should end right here! I think it works like that though, just getting Reid's thoughts into this one. Rest assured, things will definitely move along in the next chapter!**

**I hope you liked this chapter, review and tell me what you thought!**


	7. My Choice

**A/N: So here it is guys... Reid's finally made his decision! I wonder what he's going to do... guess you'll have to read on and see!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>To know when to go away and when to come closer is the key to any lasting relationship. ~Doménico Cieri Estrada<em>

Reid felt more nervous than he ever had before when he entered the elevator on Monday morning. He knew that as soon as the elevator doors opened on the sixth floor and he walked into the bullpen, he would see _him_- Morgan. And as soon as he saw him, Reid's decision would be made. He would know whether he was going to be with Morgan or not.

If he really thought about it, the idea of committing himself to this relationship in only moments terrified Reid. It wasn't that he didn't want it; if he didn't, his decision would have been easy. It was that he'd never thrown himself into the fire like this before, and he was afraid of the pain it could bring him if it all went wrong. Most of all, he was afraid of losing Morgan.

As the elevator doors slid open, Reid took a deep breath to steel himself. His steps were almost shaky, when he walked out and into the bullpen. And there he was. Derek Morgan. Reid could feel his heart pounded in his throat, and the same warm feeling he always got when he saw Morgan filled his body. And in that moment, Reid knew what he was going to do.

"Morgan?" Reid whispered when he arrived at the older man's desk, counting himself very lucky that Prentiss had not yet arrived. "Can we talk?"

"Of course, Reid," Morgan replied instantly, rising from his seat. "There's an empty office two down from JJ. We can talk in there."

As soon as the pair walked into the office, Reid closed the door behind him. He still didn't speak though; he leant against the door, taking a deep breath. He didn't know how he was going to do this.

Morgan seemed to sense Reid's nerves. "Have you made your decision?" he asked.

"I kept thinking it over and over, after you left," said Reid. "Thinking of the pros and cons of this. But I couldn't… I just couldn't decide. It was too hard."

"So… so you haven't made your decision?" said Morgan slowly.

Reid shook his head. "I decided to wait until I saw you this morning. I knew that as soon as I saw you, I would know."

"And?" Morgan didn't dare speak another word. He didn't think he'd be able to; the hope and despair that were both threatening to crush him were almost too much.

"The moment I saw you, my heart started pounding in my chest," said Reid. "And I just felt… I don't know. I have no idea how to describe it. Because- and I know how cliché this sounds, believe me- I've honestly never felt like this before, Morgan. And I realised that even if I said no to you, those feelings would never go away. Ever."

"So what are you saying?" Morgan didn't dare voice the words aloud. He was so afraid of saying them and being wrong.

Reid crossed the room, bridging the gap between himself and Morgan, and hesitantly laced their fingers together. "I want this, Morgan," he whispered. "Derek. I want _us_."

Morgan face cracked into a wide grin, even wider when Reid used his first name. "Spencer…" He loved the sound of Reid's first name on his tongue. Saying it just felt… right. "Are you sure? Do you really want this?"

Reid nodded instantly. "Yes. I do." He squeezed Morgan's hand, gently at first, but soon with more force. "You… Derek, you have no idea what you do to me."

"I think I have some idea," said Morgan softly. "You do the same things to me." He pressed his free hand against the side of Reid's face. Rather than shy away from the touch, as the genius was wont to do, he actually leaned into it. "That's how I knew I wanted to be with you: because with all the women I've been with, none of them have made me feel like this. Like you make me feel."

"Is this really happening?" Reid whispered after a long moment's silence. "Are we really going to do this?"

Morgan nodded. "We are, Spencer, but we have to keep it a secret. We can't tell the others."

Reid tensed under Morgan's touch; the older man could feel it. "Why?" he said in a small voice.

"It's not because I don't want to tell them," said Morgan quickly. "Believe me, man, I do. I want to tell the whole world that Spencer Reid is mine. But I think… we need to wait and see where this takes us, before we tell anyone. Not to mention that Strauss probably won't be to happy about this."

Reid nodded, before a wide grin crossed his face. "Tell the whole world, huh?" he said.

Morgan grinned again. "Why not?" Slowly, Morgan's grin was replaced by a questioning look. "Can I… can I kiss you, Spencer?" he asked.

"Derek," said Reid. "You don't even have to ask."

Morgan moved his face closer to Reid's, and then pressed their lips together softly. Reid kissed him back instantly, his hand squeezing Morgan's even tighter than before. Morgan's lips began moving even harder and faster against Reid's, but it wasn't long until the young genius pulled back. "Derek… Derek, we're at _work_."

"And?" Morgan moved to kiss Reid again, but Reid pushed a hand against the older man's chest to stop him.

"Someone could come in at any moment and see us," Reid pointed out.

"Damn," Morgan sighed, pulling away from Reid. "Let's both call in sick tomorrow then."

"That would be suspicious, considering I've never taken a sick day in my life, except when I've been forced to," Reid laughed. "Let's just… we'll figure this out later. Call me tonight? After work?" he added, his expression hopeful.

"The moment I walk through the door," Morgan promised. Reid smiled at him once more, before turning and heading for the bullpen. He rested his hand on the doorknob, and turned and looked at Morgan one more time before leaving the room, the smile still on his face. Whatever this was, Reid knew it was going to be good.

_"My heart smiled when you kissed my lips. What a sweet surprise."_ ~_Jan Arden _

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><p><strong>AN: Yay, they're finally together! Don't worry, this isn't the end of the story- there's definitely more to come! So... reviews, anyone? :)**


	8. Stolen Kisses

**A/N: Yay, new chapter! This one gets a little bit steamy, and just a little bit cute! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>Stolen kisses require an accomplice. ~Author Unknown<em>

"You look awfully happy," Garcia commented to Morgan as she walked into the round table room at the BAU, which was empty except for a smiling Derek Morgan.

"And why shouldn't I be?" said Morgan, taking a bite of the pastry in his hand. "Life is good, baby girl."

"You're about to head out after another sick and depraved individual, which I know you know," said Garcia. And you're _smiling_- and it's not your usual 'I'm a chocolate god of thunder' smile. Something's happened."

"Nothing's happened, baby girl," Morgan said. "I'm just happy, that's all."

Garcia was silent for a moment, studying Morgan curiously. "Oh my good, you had sex last night! You have a girlfriend!"

"What? Garcia, I didn't have sex last night, and I do _not_ have a girlfriend!" Morgan protested. Garcia was wrong on both counts- Morgan had not had sex (in fact, he hadn't had it in quite a while) and he definitely did not have a girlfriend. He wasn't about to tell Garcia why she was wrong, though.

"Morning, Morgan!" said Reid, walking into the room carrying two Starbucks coffees. He handed one to Morgan, a smile on his face. "Here you go, man."

"Thanks, Reid," Morgan replied, warmth shooting through his body as his hand brushed against Reid.

"And where's my coffee, doctor?" Garcia demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Garcia, I, uh, d-didn't know y-you'd be here already," Reid stammered, clearly only having noticed Garcia for the first time.

"Relax, Reid, I'm just joking," Garcia laughed. "You certainly seem a lot happier."

"I am," said Reid. "I worked things out."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," said Garcia. "I've got some things to do before the others arrive. See you later, boys."

As soon as Garcia left the room, Morgan stepped closer to Reid and pulled him into a hug. "Good morning, pretty boy," Morgan whispered in his ear. "I've missed you."

"You saw me yesterday, Derek," Reid replied, confused, hugging Morgan back before extricating himself from the older man's arms.

"That's not what I meant, Spencer," said Morgan. "I haven't even been able to steal a kiss from you since-"

"_Shh_!" Reid hissed, as Agent Anderson walked past the room. "Well, you can't steal one now. Garcia could walk back in at any time, and anyone else on the team could arrive. We'll get caught."

"Is that a challenge, Doctor Reid?" said Morgan, a gleam in his eye. "If there's one thing I learnt growing up as the middle child between two sisters, it's how to not get caught." Morgan began to move closer to Reid; the genius, slightly nervous, backed into the table.

"D-Derek, wh-what are you-" Reid began, but he was cut off as Morgan put a hand on his waist, tantalisingly close to his thigh. He leaned forward, hovering for a moment, before pressing his lips to Reid's.

Reid knew they shouldn't be doing this- they were at work, after all, and they could get in so much trouble if they were caught- but the moment Morgan had kissed him, all thoughts other than those about the man in front of him disappeared. Suddenly, he didn't care at all if they were caught- all he cared about was kissing Morgan right now. And so his lips began to move against Morgan's, and Morgan's tongue was in his mouth, and Reid's whole body was on fire…

And suddenly Morgan wasn't anywhere near Reid anymore. The genius looked around, confused, just managing to get his bearings as Rossi walked into the room. "Good morning," he said. "And here I thought I would be the last one here."

"Nope," said Morgan, no indication in his voice or his body language of what he had been doing only moments ago. "Although Garcia is around somewhere- and knowing Hotch, he's probably around too."

Reid was still silent; it took him quite a bit longer to get his bearings than it had for Morgan. He still didn't know quite what had happened; one minute he and Morgan were making out (for that was the only way Reid could describe what they were doing) and the next minute it was like nothing had happened.

Rossi crossed the room to look at the evidence board Garcia had already prepared, and Reid took the chance to glance across the room at Morgan. The older man smiled at him, a soft and happy smile. Reid couldn't help but smile back. Morgan mouthed _we'll talk later_ to Reid, just as Hotch entered the room with the rest of the team trailing behind him.

The team briefing seemed to take forever, and finally the team were on the jet. Reid towards the back of the jet, looking to get himself a cup of coffee. After a few moments, Morgan followed.

"You know if you're making coffee, I'd like one too, Reid," said Morgan. "Although maybe with a little bit less sugar."

Reid smiled and shook his head, setting another mug down next to his own. "I've got to ask, man: how did you do it?"

"Why Reid, I have no idea what you're talking about," said Morgan, feigning innocence.

"Derek…"

Morgan laughed. "I told you, I know how to not get caught." He looked across the jet, to where the rest of the team were deep in discussion. None of them were looking their way. "Speaking of…" Morgan moved right up close to Reid, putting his hands on the bench either side of the younger man.

"M-Morgan, what are you _doing_?" Reid gasped.

"Stealing another kiss," Morgan replied. He hovered over Reid for a moment, before pressing their lips together for the briefest of moments. Reid's arm twitched, wanting to reach up and pull Morgan closer to him again but thinking better of it. That would be stupid. If he did that, they'd definitely get caught.

"Hey, Morgan? Can you come here?" Prentiss called. "I want to run something by you."

"Coming!" Morgan called. "You know what?" he whispered to Reid. "We may have to hide, but these stolen, secret kisses are pretty good." He flashed Reid a smile, before heading back to the team to see what Prentiss wanted.

"That they are," Reid whispered to himself as he busied himself at the coffee machine. "That they are."

_A legal kiss is never as good as a stolen one. ~Guy de Maupassant_

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><p><strong>AN: Ha ha ha, Derek Morgan... well what can I say? He wanted to kiss Reid, and he always gets what he wants! So you guys know the drill- send me a review and let me know what you think! I mean, it's not like I'm not gonna write if you don't send me reviews, I just love hearing what you guys think!**

**Oh and by the way, I was thinking of setting up either a Twitter or Tumblr account connected to my account (or both, if people want them!), on which I would post when I update my stories and when I post new ones. I also would invite people to send me prompts, with the pairings/characters involved in the prompt, which I would then turn into drabbles. If you'd like me to do this, just let me know in a review! :)**


	9. Date Night

** A/N: So... new chapter time! Okay, this one is just completely cute and fluffy, so just go for it and read on!**

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><p><em>There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart, pursue those. ~Author Unknown<em>

Reid let out a long, long sigh as he set both his go bag and his messenger bag down in the hallway. It had been a hard one this time. In fact, it had been so hard that he'd almost snapped, and fallen into Morgan's arms right in front of the team. But he couldn't do that. They weren't ready to tell anyone yet.

The case had been as draining on the rest of the team as it had been on Reid. That was why he was surprised when his doorbell rang, and he answered it to find Derek Morgan standing on the other side, a large tub of ice cream in hand and a large smile on his face. "Hey, baby," he said. "You gonna let me in?"

Reid stepped aside instantly, saying "of course," and Morgan stepped into his apartment. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, of course, because I really, really am, but why are you here?" Reid asked. "I was under the impression that you just wanted to go home and sleep, like the rest of the team did."

"I'd rather see you," said Morgan simply, setting the tub of ice cream down on a table. "I'd rather hold you. I've wanted to hold you all day." Morgan pulled Reid to his chest and held him tight, pressing a kiss to the younger man's hair.

"I've wanted you to hold me all day," Reid admitted. "The case was hard."

"I know," said Morgan. "But it's just the two of us now. We can unwind, and relax." He reached out with one hand, grabbing the tub of ice cream. "You want some?" he asked. "It's coffee flavour."

"Coffee flavour?" Reid perked up instantly, a smile crossing his face. Morgan had to laugh; Reid definitely had a sweet tooth, and he definitely loved his coffee. "I'll definitely have some, then."

"Ah, pretty boy. You and your coffee," Morgan sighed affectionately, ruffling the genius's hair as he went past Morgan to get spoons out of the kitchen. Reid grumbled under his breath as he moved about the kitchen, fixing his hair, but Morgan could see the smile on his face.

"D'you want a beer?" Reid called out.

"You have beer?" said Morgan, a little shocked, as he settled on Reid's couch.

"For occasions such as this," Reid replied, entering the room with two beers in one hand and two spoons in the other. "And I do drink occasionally, Derek. Just not as much as some people."

"I'm going to have to get you drunk one of these days, Spencer," Morgan laughed, opening the ice cream and setting the tub on his lap. "Just to see what you would do."

Reid was prevented from answering by Morgan forcing a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He tried to swallow quickly, but the food was much too cold. That, and the flavour was amazing. It tasted a lot like actual coffee.

"I have been drunk before, Derek," Reid admitted. "And I may have… said some things. Things that I wouldn't have said otherwise."

Morgan chuckled, taking a swig of his beer. "Hmm. That's given me something to think about." When Reid shot him a panicked look, Morgan added, "Relax, Spencer. I was joking. You take things too seriously sometimes." He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Reid's lips, tasting the remnants coffee-flavoured ice cream on his mouth. "You need to relax."

"Is that why you're here, then?" Reid asked, a smile on his face. "To help me relax?" Reid took a long sip of his beer, as if to accentuate the point.

"That's exactly why I'm here," said Morgan. "I'm glad you finally caught on. And it's also so I can get some food into you." He proffered the spoon to Reid, who immediately ate from it. Morgan laughed again. The two continued to just eat the ice cream for several minutes, until the tub was completely empty.

"Thanks for that, Derek," said Reid, moving closer to Morgan without really thinking about it. "I really needed that."

"Me too." Morgan reached out and wrapped his arms around Reid, holding the younger man to his chest. "God, I love just _holding_ you," he whispered. "I could hold you forever, and never let you go."

"And I could stay in your arms forever," said Reid. "You're so _warm_. And I can hear your heart beating. So fast."

Morgan chuckled. "That's because you're right here, baby," he almost cooed. "That's what you do to me."

Reid didn't know what to say to this, so he just smiled contentedly and snuggled deeper into Morgan's chest.

"Do you realise that this is our first proper date?" Morgan pointed out to Reid after a while.

"I never thought of that," Reid admitted. "I hope there are many more, though. I like this."

"I do too, pretty boy," said Morgan. "You know I'm… experienced, but this is completely different for me. I've never felt like this."

"I've definitely had much less experience than you, but I've never felt like this either," said Reid. "It's strange. But in a good way."

Morgan didn't say anything; he just smiled, and watched Reid for a few moments as the genius's eyes began to droop shut. "Here's to our first date, kid," Morgan whispered. "And let's hope there are many more."

_What would it be like to swing on a star, or walk on a cloud? Would it be anything like what I feel whenever you are near? ~Author Unknown_

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><p><strong>AN: Aw, Reid and Morgan... so freakin' cute! :P Man, I really needed to write some of their romance, my upcoming final exams are stressing me out... So, reviews anyone? :P  
><strong>Oh, and for anyone that's reading <em>Reunion<em>, it is coming! This chapter is a really tricky one- I need to get it exactly right! Plus my internet has hit its cap, it takes almost literally half an hour just to load the login page!** **

****Oh and by the way, I was thinking of setting up either a Twitter or Tumblr account connected to my account (or both, if people want them!), on which I would post when I update my stories and when I post new ones. I also would invite people to send me prompts, with the pairings/characters involved in the prompt, which I would then turn into drabbles. If you'd like me to do this, just let me know in a review! :)****


	10. The Sleeping Prince

**A/N: I hope you guys have a sweet tooth, 'cause this chapter is pretty much just shameless fluff. But hey, who doesn't love that when Reid and Morgan are involved? Okay, on with reading, before I start rambling about how awesome our favourite boys are! :P**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>"I am not one of those who do not believe in love at first sight, but I believe in taking a second look." ~H. Vincent<em>

Morgan never thought he'd apply the word 'cute' to another man. Never, ever. It just didn't fit any of the men he'd even seen before. Of course, that was before he'd met Reid.

Looking at Reid, there really wasn't any other way to describe him, though. His hazel-coloured eyes, the brown hair that hung loose in front of his eyes, those sweater vests he always wore… Reid was _beautiful_; he was cute. That was the only thing Morgan could call it. He could never tell Reid that, though; Reid would be incredibly embarrassed at the description, especially at this early stage in their relationship. It was Morgan's own little secret- what he thought about Reid that nobody else knew.

What Morgan had realised was that there was one situation where Reid looked cuter than any other time: when he was sleeping. Morgan realised this when they had had to travel for a case, to a tiny little town in California. Because of the hotel room's small size, the team had been forced to share rooms. Morgan, while appearing to be slightly annoyed by the situation, had been very happy to volunteer to share a room with Reid. At first Reid had believed Morgan's façade, but a sly wink from the older man had made Reid realise that he was just hiding his true feelings from the team.

Being on a case, though, meant that Reid and Morgan weren't able to do any more than the smallest of kisses and hold each other. This, they didn't mind- they hadn't yet progressed to the stage where they were ready to do anything more, anyway.

They lay there on one of the beds in the room- Morgan having been careful enough to lock the door to the room so no one on the team could barge in unannounced and see them- with their legs tangled together in a complicated knot and their arms wrapped around each other. Feeling so comfortable and so relaxed, it wasn't long until Reid drifted off to sleep. Watching Reid, Morgan realised one thing: he was even more adorable when he was sleeping.

It was like all his worries and fears, everything that hardened him and scarred him, left him will he was sleeping. The natural air of innocence that always surrounded him was amplified, so it was all that was about him. His pale skin was smooth and unflawed, and his lips were slightly parted. His long hair hung down his face, with several wisps hanging in front of his eyes. Morgan reached out, and with two fingers brushed the hair gently away from Reid's face. Reid stirred in his sleep, but he did not wake; instead, he shifted closer to Morgan, his fists clenching as he curled into the older man's side.

Reid murmured something and Morgan tensed, afraid he'd woken him, but the genius slept on. He must have been dreaming, though, because he continued to mumble under his breath, words that Morgan could not hear well enough to distinguish.

Morgan chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around Reid, holding him close while still staring at his face. When Reid was soundly asleep like this, it was like everything else in the world would disappear for Morgan- Reid was all he could see. He was adorable, that much was obvious. And now that he realised it, Morgan wondered why it had taken him so long to see it.

_You look so innocent when you sleep, pretty boy_, Morgan thought to himself. _It's like everything that made you grow up too quickly is gone, and you finally get a chance to be young while you sleep_.

"Derek…" Reid murmured. Morgan was pulled from his musings, startled, thinking Reid had woken up. But Reid's eyes were still closed, and it was obvious that he was still sleeping.

"Ssh, pretty boy," Morgan whispered soothingly, stroking Reid's hair. "Just sleep, baby."

"Derek…" Reid murmured again, obviously dreaming.

"Yeah, baby?" said Morgan. He knew that Reid was dreaming, but he couldn't help but respond to him.

"I love you…" he murmured, stunning Morgan into silence. Neither of them had said that yet, but Morgan had been unable to tell if Reid hadn't said it because he wasn't ready to yet, or he was just too scared to say it in fear of scaring Morgan off. And he knew that Reid was sleeping, but Morgan sincerely hoped that in his dreams, what he truly felt came out.

"I love you too, pretty boy," Morgan whispered, pressing the softest of kisses to Reid's forehead and closing his own eyes. "I love you too."

_"Like a movie scene, in the sweetest dream, I've pictured us together." ~_Jennifer Lopez

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><p><strong>AN: Anyone else think Reid is adorable when he sleeps? I mean, not that he isn't all the time, but he's even more so when he's sleeping! He he he... okay, I've definitely had too much caffeine today. So, um, reviews? :P**


	11. I Love You I Need You

**A/N: I finally got another chapter for you, guys! Sorry for the wait- I wanted to finish the _Reunion _epilogue, and my final exams start in six days, so I really needed to get some studying in! So anyways, this one starts off a little angsty, but it gets good at the end, I promise! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters.**

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><p><em>Love involves a peculiar unfathomable combination of understanding and misunderstanding. ~Diane Arbus<em>

Morgan was acting weird today. Very, very weird- especially for him. He kept looking over at Reid, but looking away as soon as anyone- including Reid- noticed. It was almost like he was embarrassed, or even ashamed, to be caught looking at Reid. And this worried the genius greatly.

Morgan looked like he was struggling with telling Reid something. Struggling hard. And the only thing Reid thought that that something could be was that Morgan was going to break up with him.

Reid wouldn't be surprised if Morgan wanted to break up with him. It could be for any number of reasons: he didn't have feelings for Reid anymore. He had realised how much of a dork and a nerd Reid was, and decided Reid wasn't good enough for him. Or maybe Morgan had decided that he wasn't bisexual after all, and he didn't want to date another man. But the reason wasn't important. The fact of the matter was, Reid didn't want to break up with Morgan. But if that was what Morgan wanted, Reid wasn't going to stand in his way.

When Morgan asked Reid if he could come over to Reid's place that night, the younger man had become very anxious. He had said yes, of course- he could never say no to Morgan. But he knew what was coming. And so, he was nervous.

He could help the smile that lit up his face, however, when he opened his front door and let Morgan into his apartment. Morgan returned the smiled, but he looked just as nervous as Reid felt.

"I thought this would be easier to say at your house," Morgan explained. "That way you don't have to go anywhere afterwards."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Reid asked suddenly.

"What?" Morgan gasped. "What makes you say that?"

"You've been acting really weird all day, like you're struggling with telling me something. So I thought that…" Reid trailed off when Morgan began shaking his head, a smile on his face.

"Oh Spence… you really thought that?" said Morgan, a very tender look on his face.

"Then that's not what you want to tell me?" said Reid, confused.

"God no, Spencer!" Morgan exclaimed. "I do want to tell you something, though. I- I want to tell you that I heard you talking in your sleep the other night, while we were sharing a hotel room on that case. I want to tell you how much I hope you really meant what you said. I want to tell you that I love you too. I want _so bad_ to have sex with you, man. I-"

Morgan was cut off suddenly when Reid wrapped his arms around him and pressed their lips together, _hard_. There was a hunger there that Morgan had never felt from Reid, and _god damn it_, it turned him on. He wanted to go far with Reid- so, so far, as far as he could. As far as Reid would let him go.

"I want this," Reid growled, awakening something primal in Morgan. He pulled Reid through the apartment, kissing him every few steps, heading for Reid's bedroom. "I love you," Reid whispered, and it sent a thrill right through Morgan to hear him say that while he was awake.

"I love you too, pretty boy," Morgan replied, before crunching their mouths together once again. They arrived in Reid's bedroom, Morgan using his mouth and his tongue to distract Reid while easing him onto the bed. He hovered over Reid, his hands ghosting over Reid's chest, teasing at the bottom of his shirt.

"Derek…" Reid whispered, his voice already rough. _Goddamn, goddamn, goddamn…_ he couldn't hear Reid sound like that and not do anything about it. He moved closer to Reid, kissing his lips, his neck, pulling Reid's shirt over his head. "Derek, I need you…" Reid's eyes were squeezed shut, trying to fight off the longing for as long as he could. Hearing Reid in distress like that, Morgan couldn't get himself undressed fast enough. He then began to slide Reid's pants down slowly, the genius's eyes opening when he felt Morgan's fingers grazing his thighs, a low moan escaping his throat. His pupils were already blown wide with arousal. "Hurry up hurry up hurry up hurry up…" Reid whispered under his breath, not even aware he was speaking.

"Have you… have you got anything?" Morgan asked him.

"T-top drawer," Reid managed to get out. "Come on, Derek, please…"

"Almost ready, pretty boy," Morgan promised him. "I hope _you're_ ready though, 'cause I'm gonna rock your world."

Over an hour later, Reid was lying on his back on his bed, Morgan's arm draped over him. He was exhausted, his naked body covered in a sheen of sweat. But he didn't care about that. He was _happy_; happier than he could remember being in a very long time. And it was all because of the man lying beside him on the bed. That morning, he had thought Morgan was going to break up with him. Now, they had consummated their relationship.

Morgan was barely awake now; his eyes were half-closed and he didn't think he'd be able to find the energy to move very much, but he did manage to use the last of his energy to watch Reid slowly drift off to sleep, a small smile on the younger man's face. Morgan could scarcely believe this was real- that the young man lying beside him on the bed was _his_. He gently brushed Reid's hair out of his face, smiling when Reid move closer to him. Watching Reid, Morgan knew that he wasn't going to let this relationship end any time soon.

"I love you, pretty boy," Morgan whispered as he pressed a kiss to Reid's temple and slowly let his own eyes close.

"I love you too, Derek," Reid whispered. "I love you too."

_Two souls with a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one. ~_Friedrich Halm Ingomar the Barbarian__

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><p><strong>AN: Hahaha, Reid and Morgan are getting some action... sorry for anyone who actually wanted to read some smut, but I didn't put it in for two reasons: 1, cos the chapter would've gotten too long, and 2, cos I still suck at it! Please don't kill me! :P**

**Oh, and I've finally set up that twitter account I was going to set up connected to this account, where I am going to post when I update my stories, post new ones, and also ask any of you guys that might have prompts for me to send them to me there, and I will be sure to right them for you. So any of you that have twitter, follow me and tweet me any prompts you have for me- my username is EternalFanFics :) I will also post there when I start working on a new story or come up with an idea for one, so you know when I am writing new stories for you lovelies to read. Thanking you in advance for following me! :)  
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**Reviews anyone? :) **


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